A. Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the present invention relate to a holder for suspending utensils, and more particularly, the embodiments of the present invention relate to a holder for suspending utensils alongside a sink having a rim and a bowl, for resting freely on the rim of the sink, and for draining liquid from the utensils guidingly into the bowl of the sink.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for cooking utensil racks/holders/stands have been provided in the prior art, which will be described below in chronological order to show advancement in the art, and which are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference thereto. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, nevertheless, they differ from the present invention in that they do not teach a holder for suspending utensils alongside a sink having a rim and a bowl, for resting freely on the rim of the sink, and for draining liquid from the utensils guidingly into the bowl of the sink.
(1) U.S. Pat. No. 2,151,818 to Westenkirchmer.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,151,818—issued to Westenkirchmer on Mar. 28, 1939 in U.S. class 4 and subclass 187—teaches a kitchen sink having end compartments, and foldable walls hingedly engaged on the upper edges of the outer walls of the compartments to stand vertically when erect and fold inwardly closely adjacent the inner walls when folded thereagainst.
(2) U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,332 to Scharfy.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,332—issued to Scharfy on May 7, 1985 in U.S. class 248 and subclass 37.3—teaches a rack for supporting culinary utensils and disposing the portion thereof containing food remnants, grease, and the like over a sink or other receptacle capable of collecting and disposing of the drippings.
(3) U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,616 to Carney.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,616—issued to Carney on Jul. 7, 1992 in U.S. class 248 and subclass 176.2—teaches a device for holding pot lids and/or cooking utensils. The device includes a first generally planar component with separate notches, apertures, ledges or the like for supporting pot lids or cooking utensils. A second generally planar component is mounted to the first planar component to support the first planar component and to selectively receive cooking utensils supported by the first planar component, as well as retain any drippings from the utensils.
(4) U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,993 to Spitler.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,993—issued to Spitler on Mar. 14, 1995 in U.S. class 211 and subclass 41.2—teaches a holder or stand having a base formed with a central depression and a notched rail for supporting a kitchen implement. A pair of raised receptacles carried on the base insertably receive other implements, while an upright adjustable post supports a yoke or bifurcated member for slidably receiving and supporting a pot or pan lid. The holder or stand is readily disassembled for cleaning or maintenance purposes.
(5) U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,397 to Licari.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,397—issued to Licari on May 16, 2000 in U.S. class 211 and subclass 41.3—teaches an apparatus for suspending utensils over a sink, which includes a holding member coupled to a stabilizer. The holding member is configured to retain utensils, and the stabilizer includes a hook member having a contact surface for engaging the back of a sink faucet. The holding member also has a support surface for resting against a side wall or top edge of the sink so that the stabilizer when engaged on the sink faucet in cooperation with the support surface and the force of gravity maintain the apparatus above the bottom surface of the sink In this way, the holding member suspends utensils, such as kitchen implements including dish racks, flatware, containers, and cutting boards, above the bottom surface of the sink.
(6) U.S. Pat. No. 6,886,702 to Trinidad et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,886,702—issued to Trinidad et al. on May 3, 2005 in U.S. class 211 and subclass 181.1—teaches apparatus for storing and dispensing kitchen articles, which includes an upstanding grate adapted to hang kitchen articles, to house kitchen articles, and to dispense kitchen articles. The kitchen articles are stored and dispensed from locations inside of, and outside of, the grate.
(7) United States Patent Application Publication Number 2006/0289372 to Yang et al.
United States Patent Application Publication Number 2006/0289372—published to Yang et al. on Dec. 28, 2006 in U.S. class 211 and subclass 41.3—teaches an organizer adapted for use adjacent a kitchen sink, which includes an elongated rack portion having a first end and an opposing second end. The rack portion further includes a front frame and a rear frame. The front frame defines a curved open space at about the center of the front frame to accommodate the faucet of a kitchen sink. The organizer further includes a first end support on which the first end of the rack portion is supported, and a second end support on which the second end of the rack portion is supported.
(8) United States Patent Application Publication Number 2010/0176017 to Yang et al.
United States Patent Application Publication Number 2010/0176017—published to Yang et al. on Jul. 15, 2010 in U.S. class 206 and subclass 373—teaches a sink organizer that includes a section defining a compartment having an extendable, collapsible, and/or expandable base that provides a deeper holding section, with an extended base to support a long slender shaped item, such as a long-handle brush. The expandable base has a telescopic structure that is in the form of an accordion-like structure having annular folding sections or other forms of axially collapsible or telescopic structure (e.g., a concentric coupling of a series of nested and axially interlocking cylindrical collars of gradually reducing dimensions). Suction cups provide mounting of the sink organizer onto a sink wall. A bracket is attached to the side of the sink organizer where the suction cup mounting is also provided. The bracket has a handle that is configured to rest against the top edge of the sink, thus providing additional support for stabilizing the sink organizer after it is attached to the sink wall by the suction cups.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for cooking utensil racks/holders/stands have been provided in the prior art, which are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, nevertheless, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the embodiments of the present invention as heretofore described, namely, a holder for suspending utensils alongside a sink having a rim and a bowl, for resting freely on the rim of the sink, and for draining liquid from the utensils guidingly into the bowl of the sink